Grilling steak no longer requires cast iron. Simply place ingredients directly onto the sawtooth-patterned ceramic glass to enjoy the charred aroma of far-infrared direct-fire cooking that locks in juices. Recently, Dongguan Hontech Glass Products Co., Ltd. introduced China’s first “Sawtooth Ceramic Glass Grill Plate.” Featuring one-piece molding, high-temperature resistance, and instant tolerance to thermal shock, it offers a novel “visible flame” option for high-end commercial and outdoor grilling scenarios.
Traditional grilling relies on metal cookware for heat conduction. Hontech employs dark-colored, far-infrared-transmitting ceramic glass with an emissivity of up to 0.92 in the 5–14 µm wavelength band, closely matching the radiation curve of charcoal. The far-infrared light emitted by heating elements below the glass penetrates the plate and is refracted by the peaks and valleys of the sawtooth pattern into multiple focused energy beams. These act directly on the food surface, creating a uniformly golden-brown “Maillard crust” while sealing in meat juices and reducing oil splatter.
“The sawtooth isn’t decorative; it’s functional,” explained the project engineer. The trapezoidal ridges, with a 6 mm tooth height and 12 mm pitch, are formed via integrated hot-bending and ceramization. This design channels excess oil down the grooves, minimizing smoke. With peak temperatures reaching 280°C (536°F) and valleys at 200°C (392°F), a single plate achieves dual “sear + simmer” modes, allowing steak, vegetables, mushrooms, and even pizza to be cooked simultaneously. The glass itself releases no heavy metals, meets food-grade contact requirements, and completely eliminates the hazard of flaking coatings found on metal cookware.
The first batch of 10 mm thick sawtooth plates has been delivered to a Korean BBQ appliance brand and showcased at the Shanghai International Hotel & Catering Expo, featuring live “on-the-spot steak grilling” demonstrations. Requiring no added oil, steaks cooked in just 3 minutes showcased pink interiors beneath a crisp, seared exterior, earning acclaim from numerous chefs. Hontech concurrently offers customization services—tooth profile, curvature, and logo engraving can be rapidly prototyped to client specifications, with delivery in as little as 7 days.
From fireplaces and saunas to dining tables, the application boundaries of ceramic glass are being expanded once again. A Hontech Glass representative stated that the next step involves developing portable sawtooth ceramic grill plates paired with power banks. This will enable far-infrared grilling to move beyond the kitchen, offering “flame-free, pot-free” gourmet experiences anytime, anywhere—in camping, RV, and other outdoor scenarios.